Johnson Space Center

Think you have the right stuff? Find out at Johnson Space Center, a 1,621-acre complex where NASA astronauts and international partners train for space missions. Take a tram tour past sites such as Historic Mission Control, where NASA once monitored space programs. Plus, see a full-scale replica of Space Shuttle Adventure’s mid-deck and flight deck (pictured).9601280

Think you have the right stuff? Find out at Johnson Space Center, a 1,621-acre complex where NASA astronauts and international partners train for space missions. Take a tram tour past sites such as Historic Mission Control, where NASA once monitored space programs. Plus, see a full-scale replica of Space Shuttle Adventure’s mid-deck and flight deck (pictured).

Space Center Houston

Texas State Capitol

Texas State Capitol

When the Texas State Capitol was unveiled in 1888, it was billed as the “Seventh Largest Building in the World.” It’s still pretty spectacular: Surrounded by 22 acres of grounds and monuments, the capitol in Austin, TX, has nearly 400 rooms and over 900 windows, making it the largest state capitol in the US.9601280

When the Texas State Capitol was unveiled in 1888, it was billed as the “Seventh Largest Building in the World.” It’s still pretty spectacular: Surrounded by 22 acres of grounds and monuments, the capitol in Austin, TX, has nearly 400 rooms and over 900 windows, making it the largest state capitol in the US.

iStockphoto

Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

Bats, bats and more bats. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of mostly female, pregnant Mexican free-tailed bats migrate north to give birth; the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin is their favorite hangout. See this spectacular sight for yourself -- it’s the largest urban bat colony in North America.9601280

Bats, bats and more bats. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of mostly female, pregnant Mexican free-tailed bats migrate north to give birth; the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin is their favorite hangout. See this spectacular sight for yourself -- it’s the largest urban bat colony in North America.

iStockphoto

Cowboys Stadium

Cowboys Stadium

Go Cowboys! Venture inside the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, and prepare to be wowed: With a seating capacity of 85,000 spectators, it’s the third-largest stadium in the NFL. It’s also home to the world's largest column-free interior and the fourth largest high-def video screen. Plus, it’s the world’s largest domed structure. 9601280

Go Cowboys! Venture inside the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, and prepare to be wowed: With a seating capacity of 85,000 spectators, it’s the third-largest stadium in the NFL. It’s also home to the world's largest column-free interior and the fourth largest high-def video screen. Plus, it’s the world’s largest domed structure.

Reuters

Houston Rodeo

Houston Rodeo

A cowgirl races around the barrel at a rodeo. Check out heart-stopping action like this at the Houston Rodeo, the world's biggest live entertainment and livestock exhibition, held each March. The annual 20-day show attracts between 60,000 and 150,000 people each day.9601280

A cowgirl races around the barrel at a rodeo. Check out heart-stopping action like this at the Houston Rodeo, the world's biggest live entertainment and livestock exhibition, held each March. The annual 20-day show attracts between 60,000 and 150,000 people each day.

iStockphoto

The Alamo

The Alamo

Remember the Alamo! Visit the Alamo, a Roman Catholic mission and fortress of yore near modern-day San Antonio that saw 13 days of battle between Mexican and Texan forces in 1836. Each year, more than 2.5 million people visit the 4.2-acre complex, which endures as a dramatic symbol of Texas’ independence from Mexico. 9601280

Remember the Alamo! Visit the Alamo, a Roman Catholic mission and fortress of yore near modern-day San Antonio that saw 13 days of battle between Mexican and Texan forces in 1836. Each year, more than 2.5 million people visit the 4.2-acre complex, which endures as a dramatic symbol of Texas’ independence from Mexico.

iStockphoto

San Antonio River Walk

San Antonio River Walk

Talk a stroll along the San Antonio River Walk, a lively pedestrian walkway along the banks of the river lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Or glide along in an open-air taxi. Quieter stretches of the river walk await along its northern section, known as Museum Reach; a river taxi stop is located here, near the San Antonio Museum of Art.9601280

Talk a stroll along the San Antonio River Walk, a lively pedestrian walkway along the banks of the river lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Or glide along in an open-air taxi. Quieter stretches of the river walk await along its northern section, known as Museum Reach; a river taxi stop is located here, near the San Antonio Museum of Art.

istockphoto

Texas State Fair

Texas State Fair

Get ready for 24 days of excitement … and lots of fried food: deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried s'mores, deep-fried pork ribs, deep-fried peanut butter… did we say “fried”? But first, hop aboard this 212-foot-high Ferris wheel, the largest in North America, at the Texas State Fair -- a tradition since 1886 that takes place every fall at Dallas’ historic Fair Park.9601280

Get ready for 24 days of excitement … and lots of fried food: deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried s'mores, deep-fried pork ribs, deep-fried peanut butter… did we say “fried”? But first, hop aboard this 212-foot-high Ferris wheel, the largest in North America, at the Texas State Fair -- a tradition since 1886 that takes place every fall at Dallas’ historic Fair Park.

iStock

Schlitterbahn

Schlitterbahn

Splish-splash, plunge into fun at Schlitterbahn, a family-owned-and-operated waterpark with several locations throughout Texas. Take your pick: the 26-acre Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, the 15-acre Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark on South Padre Island, and in summer 2013 Schlitterbahn Cedar Park, an entertainment resort eventually slated to span 95 acres.9601280

Splish-splash, plunge into fun at Schlitterbahn, a family-owned-and-operated waterpark with several locations throughout Texas. Take your pick: the 26-acre Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, the 15-acre Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark on South Padre Island, and in summer 2013 Schlitterbahn Cedar Park, an entertainment resort eventually slated to span 95 acres.

Schlitterbahn

Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas

Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas

Don't leave Texas without tearing into a rack of BBQ ribs. The place to go is Lockhart, TX. Billed as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” this small city 25 miles southeast of Austin is home to 4 major barbecue restaurants (including Kreuz Market), which attract roughly 250,000 BBQ-lovers each year.9601280

Don't leave Texas without tearing into a rack of BBQ ribs. The place to go is Lockhart, TX. Billed as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” this small city 25 miles southeast of Austin is home to 4 major barbecue restaurants (including Kreuz Market), which attract roughly 250,000 BBQ-lovers each year.

Dennis Sabo

SeaWorld San Antonio

SeaWorld San Antonio

What kid wouldn’t love this? Find these adorable bottlenose dolphins at SeaWorld San Antonio’s Dolphin Cove. The 250-acre marine mammal park, oceanarium and animal theme park is the largest of the 3 waterparks in the SeaWorld chain; it is also home to the world’s largest marine-life park.9601280

What kid wouldn’t love this? Find these adorable bottlenose dolphins at SeaWorld San Antonio’s Dolphin Cove. The 250-acre marine mammal park, oceanarium and animal theme park is the largest of the 3 waterparks in the SeaWorld chain; it is also home to the world’s largest marine-life park.

Nan Palmero, flickr

Texas Hill Country

Texas Hill Country

In a state second only to Alaska in size, take time out for a Texas day trip to a place refreshingly … small. Kick back in the tranquil town of Fredericksburg, TX. Located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the town still retains the personable touch of its early settlement days, in 1846 by 120 German immigrants. Explore quaint shops like this, big on small-town charm.9601280

In a state second only to Alaska in size, take time out for a Texas day trip to a place refreshingly … small. Kick back in the tranquil town of Fredericksburg, TX. Located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the town still retains the personable touch of its early settlement days, in 1846 by 120 German immigrants. Explore quaint shops like this, big on small-town charm.

Kenny Braun

Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon

Put your pedal to the metal with a mountain-bike trek through Palo Duro. Known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” this sweep of rock and mesa walls in the Texas Panhandle is the second largest canyon in the US. For more natural wonders, head south to Big Bend National Park, the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert in the US.9601280

Put your pedal to the metal with a mountain-bike trek through Palo Duro. Known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” this sweep of rock and mesa walls in the Texas Panhandle is the second largest canyon in the US. For more natural wonders, head south to Big Bend National Park, the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert in the US.

Kenny Braun

South by Southwest

South by Southwest

The largest music festival of its kind in the world, South by Southwest attracts more than 2,000 performers each year, playing in 100 venues. Recent headliners have included Lee Ann Womack and Lucinda Williams, along with conference guests like Al Gore, author Neil Gaiman and … Grumpy Cat.9601280

The largest music festival of its kind in the world, South by Southwest attracts more than 2,000 performers each year, playing in 100 venues. Recent headliners have included Lee Ann Womack and Lucinda Williams, along with conference guests like Al Gore, author Neil Gaiman and … Grumpy Cat.

Extreme Airshots

Rio Grande Valley

Rio Grande Valley

If it’s bird-watching you’re after, head to the Rio Grande Valley. Situated in the southernmost tip of South Texas, the valley is home to more than 500 bird species, including many tropical bird species -- found nowhere else in the US -- that don’t stray far from the tranquil Rio Grande River (pictured).9601280

If it’s bird-watching you’re after, head to the Rio Grande Valley. Situated in the southernmost tip of South Texas, the valley is home to more than 500 bird species, including many tropical bird species -- found nowhere else in the US -- that don’t stray far from the tranquil Rio Grande River (pictured).

Kenny Braun

Billy Bob’s Texas

Billy Bob’s Texas

Texas and honky-tonk go hand-in-hand, and the place for all the boot-stomping action is Billy Bob’s Texas. This country-and-western nightclub in the Fort Worth Stockyards, near Dallas, bills itself as the “world’s largest honky-tonk -- and with more than 127,000 square feet, that’s no exaggeration.9601280

Texas and honky-tonk go hand-in-hand, and the place for all the boot-stomping action is Billy Bob’s Texas. This country-and-western nightclub in the Fort Worth Stockyards, near Dallas, bills itself as the “world’s largest honky-tonk -- and with more than 127,000 square feet, that’s no exaggeration.

jahborgs, flickr

Dallas Zoo

Dallas Zoo

If you’ve got kids, they’ll want to see this zoo. Spanning 106 acres, the Dallas Zoo ranks as the largest of its kind in Texas. It’s also the oldest (established in 1888), with an impressive list of exotic creatures: Find them in the “Giants of the Savanna,” an 11-acre expanse home to giraffes, impala, zebras, lions, cheetahs, elephants and more.9601280

If you’ve got kids, they’ll want to see this zoo. Spanning 106 acres, the Dallas Zoo ranks as the largest of its kind in Texas. It’s also the oldest (established in 1888), with an impressive list of exotic creatures: Find them in the “Giants of the Savanna,” an 11-acre expanse home to giraffes, impala, zebras, lions, cheetahs, elephants and more.

Perry Quan, flickr

You Might Also Like

On March 11 and 12, 1888, a devastating nor'easter dumped 40 to 50 inches of snow in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Huge snow drifts buried houses and trains, and the turbulent seas sank 200 ships with a loss of over 400 lives.9601280

On March 11 and 12, 1888, a devastating nor'easter dumped 40 to 50 inches of snow in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Huge snow drifts buried houses and trains, and the turbulent seas sank 200 ships with a loss of over 400 lives.

Library of Congress

The Great Blizzard of February 11-14, 1899, impacted a large area from Georgia to Maine, producing record low temperatures, some of which still stand today. Snowfall began in Florida and moved rapidly north. Washington, DC, recorded 20 inches in a single day; New Jersey, 34 inches -- still a record. 9601280

The Great Blizzard of February 11-14, 1899, impacted a large area from Georgia to Maine, producing record low temperatures, some of which still stand today. Snowfall began in Florida and moved rapidly north. Washington, DC, recorded 20 inches in a single day; New Jersey, 34 inches -- still a record.

Library of Congress

The Great Lakes Storm (aka 'The White Hurricane') of 1913 was a blizzard with hurricane-force winds that devastated the region from November 7 to 10, 1913. It was the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster ever to hit the lakes, killing more than 250 people. In this photo, the people of Cleveland dig out of the mess. 9601280

The Great Lakes Storm (aka 'The White Hurricane') of 1913 was a blizzard with hurricane-force winds that devastated the region from November 7 to 10, 1913. It was the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster ever to hit the lakes, killing more than 250 people. In this photo, the people of Cleveland dig out of the mess.

Wikimedia Commons

The Knickerbocker Storm was a blizzard that occurred on January 27 and 28, 1922, in the upper South and Mid-Atlantic. The storm took its name from the resulting collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, DC, (pictured here), which killed 98 people and injured 133. 9601280

The Knickerbocker Storm was a blizzard that occurred on January 27 and 28, 1922, in the upper South and Mid-Atlantic. The storm took its name from the resulting collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, DC, (pictured here), which killed 98 people and injured 133.

Library of Congress

The Armistice Day Blizzard pounded the Midwest on November 11, 1940. The raging storm produced snowfalls of up to 27 inches, winds of 50 to 80 mph, 20-foot snow drifts and 50-degree temperature drops over much of Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. A total of 145 deaths were blamed on the storm. 9601280

The Armistice Day Blizzard pounded the Midwest on November 11, 1940. The raging storm produced snowfalls of up to 27 inches, winds of 50 to 80 mph, 20-foot snow drifts and 50-degree temperature drops over much of Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. A total of 145 deaths were blamed on the storm.

Library of Congress

The Blizzard of 1977 was a deadly blizzard that hit upstate New York and Southern Ontario from January 28 to February 1, 1977. The actual snowfall total was only 12 inches, but several days of sustained arctic gale-force winds kicked up huge snow drifts piled high on frozen Lake Erie and dumped them into the surrounding area. The blizzard was the first to be declared a Federal Emergency. 9601280

The Blizzard of 1977 was a deadly blizzard that hit upstate New York and Southern Ontario from January 28 to February 1, 1977. The actual snowfall total was only 12 inches, but several days of sustained arctic gale-force winds kicked up huge snow drifts piled high on frozen Lake Erie and dumped them into the surrounding area. The blizzard was the first to be declared a Federal Emergency.

Photo taken by Jeff Wurstner, Tonawanda, New York, Wikimedia Commons

The Blizzard of 1978 was a catastrophic nor'easter that brought blizzard conditions to New England and the New York metropolitan area from February 5 to 7. Boston set a record with 27.1 inches of snow, as did Providence, RI, with 27.6 inches. The storm killed approximately 100 people and caused over $520 million in damage. 9601280

The Blizzard of 1978 was a catastrophic nor'easter that brought blizzard conditions to New England and the New York metropolitan area from February 5 to 7. Boston set a record with 27.1 inches of snow, as did Providence, RI, with 27.6 inches. The storm killed approximately 100 people and caused over $520 million in damage.

By Dahoov2 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Storm of the Century was a large cyclonic storm that occurred on March 12 and 13, 1993. It is unique for its hurricane-force winds and massive size -- stretching from Canada to Central America. Areas as far south as Alabama and Georgia received 8 to 16 inches of snow. The storm was responsible for 300 deaths and the loss of electric power to over 10 million customers.9601280

The Storm of the Century was a large cyclonic storm that occurred on March 12 and 13, 1993. It is unique for its hurricane-force winds and massive size -- stretching from Canada to Central America. Areas as far south as Alabama and Georgia received 8 to 16 inches of snow. The storm was responsible for 300 deaths and the loss of electric power to over 10 million customers.

NOAA

The Blizzard of 1999 slammed Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio on January 2-4, 1999. It dumped as much as 2 feet of snow in many areas. Travel was severely disrupted throughout the region and Chicago (pictured here) was paralyzed. Additionally, record low temperatures were measured in many towns in the days immediately after the storm. 9601280

The Blizzard of 1999 slammed Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio on January 2-4, 1999. It dumped as much as 2 feet of snow in many areas. Travel was severely disrupted throughout the region and Chicago (pictured here) was paralyzed. Additionally, record low temperatures were measured in many towns in the days immediately after the storm.

Reuters

The February 2010 "Snowmageddon" blizzard buried the mid-Atlantic under 2 to 3 feet of snow. The storm set the all-time record for heaviest snowfall in Delaware history (26.5"), the second heaviest in Philadelphia (28.5"), second heaviest in Atlantic City (18.2"), third heaviest in Baltimore (24.8"), and the fourth heaviest in Washington, DC (17.8"). 9601280

The February 2010 "Snowmageddon" blizzard buried the mid-Atlantic under 2 to 3 feet of snow. The storm set the all-time record for heaviest snowfall in Delaware history (26.5"), the second heaviest in Philadelphia (28.5"), second heaviest in Atlantic City (18.2"), third heaviest in Baltimore (24.8"), and the fourth heaviest in Washington, DC (17.8").